15: “The Castle” – 21min Row, Varying Rates – Post Distance

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Renegade Rowing

Snapshot of the RR Training Plan for the week of 3-23-15

Here’s our plan for the week! Get fired up and hit it hard. The warm weather is coming!

RR Training Plan 3-23-15

Rowing WOD:

“The Castle”

Row for 21min as follows…

3′ @20 s/m, 3′ @24, 3′ @28, 3′ @26, 3′ @28, 3′ @24, 3′ @20

Focus on Rhythm and Ratio

As we start to look forward to the fall head racing season, many athletes will need some extra time on the erg to focus on rhythm, timing, and overall form. Today’s Rowing WOD is a great opportunity for any athlete, experienced or not, to get a sense of form and rhythm without the pressure of intensity and competition. Sometimes it’s good to slow down for an active recovery day in order to go harder and faster later on down the road.

Rhythm and Endurance are two necessities for successful competition in longer WODs. A great example would be the KB Swings and Pull Ups found in “Helen”. Those who find a consistent rhythm can flow through the movements naturally and rely on their aerobic endurance without dipping into their anaerobic energy supply.

In today’s Rowing WOD the focus is developing rhythm and endurance. Another word for rhythm in rowing is Ratio. By varying the ratio of the drive to the recovery rowers can maintain the same pace or split, but work more efficiently and make the stroke feel lighter or heavier.

When going from a 20 stroke rating to a 24 you should focus on more pressure with the legs and quickly redirecting the hands through the finish. This will help increase the stroke rating while leaving you the same amount of time to sit up, breathe, and relax as you slide forward on the recovery.

Post distance rowed to comments along with songs that helped you stick to each rating!

A project that I’ve started thanks to Renegade Rower Mike T. is how to help people feel the proper rhythm and ratio by rowing to music. Music can motivate us to push hard and row longer, but it can also give us a sense of timing.

If you have Spotify, I’ve created a playlist for each stroke rating. Each playlist is named “Renegade Rowing @(insert stroke rate)”, so for songs that you could row to at a 20 the playlist is named “Renegade Rowing @20″. If you have favorite songs that go well at certain stroke ratings please feel free to add to the playlists on Spotify. Thanks Mike T. for kick starting this project and I hope this helps motivate everyone to find better rhythm and ratio!

20 s/m: Renegade Rowing @20

22 s/m: Renegade Rowing @22

24 s/m: Renegade Rowing @24

26 s/m: Renegade Rowing @26

28 s/m: Renegade Rowing @28

30 s/m: Renegade Rowing @30

32 s/m: Renegade Rowing @32

34 s/m: Renegade Rowing @34

36 s/m: Renegade Rowing @36

Rowing WOD 3/20/15: 4x10min Spicy Steady State – Post Distance

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Renegade Rowing

Rowing WOD:

4 x 10 min Spicy Steady State w/ 1 min Rest

10′ @ 18 s/m**

10′ @ 20 s/m**

10′ @ 22 s/m**

10′ @ Increasing Stroke Rating as follows – (5′ @24, 3′ @26, 2′ @28)

**First 3 Pieces – Row 4min Steady, 1min @-3 split seconds, 4min Steady, 1min @-3 split seconds

**Hold the same stroke rating all the way through each piece, but vary the pressure with your legs depending on whether you’re rowing steady or 3 split seconds faster

This is a great opportunity to work on the rhythm and consistent effort needed in long WODs with movements like kettlebell swings and sumo deadlift high pulls. Focus on maintaining consistent pressure through each stroke and every piece. Rate of Perceived Exertion should be around 60% – 70%. Effort level on the last piece is open and should be based on how you feel. Set the monitor for intervals-time with 10 minutes of work and 1 minute of rest. During the rest stand up and stretch out your back and foam roll any areas that feel overly tense.

Novice rowers should focus on one part of the stroke for each piece, like a horizontal handle path or trying to row feet out.

Vets should be dialing in their consistency. During the last piece Vets should be focused on bringing their 500m split down as the stroke rating increases.

Post the total distance rowed to comments.

Where’s the fun in life? Our Reason for Competition in Rowing, Fitness, and Strength Training

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Renegade Rowing

The morning crew at CRASH-B 2015. Great racing everyone!

Last week I shared my belief that life is all about motion and learning. To live and survive, we must be able to move from place to place and interact with the world around us. That’s great, but how does fun fit into that line of thinking? I recently had an epic weekend with my college buddies and they reconfirmed my love for competition and sport, which is where I find fun in life. Competition turns some people off, but let me explain why I think it’s an integral part of our daily lives that everyone should embrace.

Competition is the basis for all sport. People play sports because they’re fun. Sports are fun because every participant is given a chance to compete. It’s not the outcome or the opponent that matters. People enjoy competing because they’re given an opportunity to test themselves and their abilities in order to experience the thrill of an improvement toward a goal. Competition can be both individual and team oriented. By incorporating competition into everyday practice, Renegade Rowing allows us to track progress toward our goals, but more importantly to have fun and experience the journey.

In order to compete, athletes must develop mental toughness. Firsthand athletes are developed through competition when they harness the power of the mind. Our thoughts affect our feelings and our feelings affect our actions. Anyone can develop an ability to do work with regards to fitness and rowing, but when work capacity is combined with mental toughness, athletes can control their actions and reach their goals. Mental toughness is an athlete’s ability to commit to competition with a belief in oneself, to have a positive focus on the things they can control, and to embrace challenge as an opportunity for learning and self-improvement.

While the thrill of intrinsic motivation should be what drives us, we should not forget about the power of the opponent or the teammate in competition. We can push ourselves asindividuals, but the opportunity to push ourselves against others will only make us better. I’m a competitive guy and I like being pushed and challenged and testing my abilities against others. There’s honesty in giving it all you have against others, especially knowing they’re doing the same.

Rowing is an Olympic Sport that elite athletes train for year round. Some athletes may only compete 5 to 6 times per year and of those competitions they might only peak for one race. Most other sports have seasons filled with games allowing for learning and development during competition. Renegade Rowing incorporates daily competition so that athletes have the same opportunities that other sports have. Renegade athletes will have the confidence needed to perform on race day. By providing many opportunities to experience race day competition in practice, athletes will have a wealth of experiences to draw from when race day arrives.

If you enjoy the thrill of competition and are looking for a community of like-minded individuals who push each other to be better, Renegade Rowing is for you. Share your thoughts, comments, and questions below. We’d love to hear from you and compete alongside you!

Here is the training plan for the week:

RR Training Plan 3-16-15

Have you met Bob? Check out how he has been using Renegade Rowing!

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Renegade Rowing

I believe that life is motion and learning. To live and survive, we must be able to move from place to place and interact with the world around us. In this movement and interaction lies an important opportunity, the opportunity to learn through experience. As a coach, teacher, and lifelong learner, I hope to guide people’s movements and interactions so that they may learn by experience and develop into contributing members of teams, communities, and society. This idea of life and learning through experience is the foundation of my ever-evolving coaching beliefs and the Journey that we take together.

BC Men working on their Deadlifts and Cleans in Jacksonville, FL during Spring Training.

Life is a journey, and Renegade Rowing is a way for people to experience the journey. Our mission is to develop a healthy community of firsthand athletes by combining the best of rowing, fitness, and strength training through competition. As a member of the Renegade Rowing community you will build general physical preparedness and enable rowing specific skill. Life is more fun when you can continually improve and challenge both yourself and others. This post will give you some insight into the journey of a few Renegades and how you might become part of the Renegade Rowing Community.

Bob (R1 to R3)

I first met Bob in 2012. He was just starting to get into the sport of rowing and was participating in a recreational rowing program three times a week learning how to sweep row (8 Rowers, 8 Oars, 1 Oar Each). He fell in love with the sport and started rowing at the boathouse almost everyday. In the winter of 2012/2013 Bob realized that rowing everyday wasn’t enough for him because he had never been an athlete prior to picking up rowing and was lacking strength and general physical preparedness. Rather than trudge away and continue to flirt with overuse injuries, he decided to join the Renegade Rowing Club once a week and develop his skills and ability to work at a higher intensity. At this point he became an R1 Renegade Athlete. He trained with us once a week through the winter, in addition to regular rowing at the boathouse, and then competed in CRASH-B’s for the first time.

In 2014 Bob decided he was ready for more and kicked it up a notch. He tried out for and made the CRI Men’s Masters Crew Team. He also became an avid sculler (1 Rower, 2 Oars). Throughout the Summer he competed at regional regattas in both sweeping and sculling. He ended the Fall season in a big way by racing a single at the Head of the Charles Regatta for the first time. The thing I love about Bob is that he’s committed to maintaining and improving not only his rowing prowess, but his athleticism in general. He became a regular member at CrossFit Boston, partakes in CFB Classes 2-3 times per week, trains with the Renegade Rowing Club once a week, all in addition to rowing with the CRI Crew Team on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Bob is looking forward to CRASH-B’s again this Winter and continues to train as an R3 Renegade Athlete.

Boston College Men’s Rowing (R2)

I first started working with the Boston College Men’s Rowing Team in the Fall of 2013. As college rowers they train about 6 days per week and when there’s no ice on the river they are in boats trying to master the skill and discipline required of elite oarsmen. Because water time as a college rower is so important we decided to make sure they were always getting some time in the boat, even if they needed to lift or train in the gym. That Fall they did a swing row to and from the gym to get their water time in, but then spent a solid 45 minutes, twice a week, learning how to lift properly and push themselves as athletes. The Varsity Boat placed 18th in the 2013 Head of the Charles Regatta and 5th in the Petite Final at the ACRA National Championships.

This year I brought Renegade Rowing to the boathouse and we were able to fit in all three blocks in one two-hour practice. Half the team, about 12-15 guys, spent the first half of practice working with me on the strength block and the strength and conditioning block. The other half of the team was out on the water in small boats getting in a rowing block. Half way through practice the two groups would switch so everyone was able to lift and row. Our typical setup was Tuesday and Thursday in the gym and on the water in small boats, thus getting in a total of 6 blocks for the R2 Renegade Athlete This year the BC Men placed 8th in the collegiate 8+ event at the Head of the Charles and they’re training hard this Winter to make the Grand Final at National Championships in May.

Jurassic (R3)

Ward, aka “Jurassic”, is one of our first official Satellite Members of the Renegade Rowing Club. Here’s what Ward is all about…

“I’m a 67-year-old bag-of-bones who, as a lark, decided to train & row a competitive 2K last year. Am 6’6’’, 184 lbs. (10 lbs. underweight) with a hydrostatic body fat % of 15.0. Just beginning my 5th year of CrossFit. Am competent but have mobility issues. Hips will go below parallel for wall balls and air squats, but not if I have to hold something overhead; then it’s just to the power position.

I have an annual membership w/ my CF box and starting this week am doing Pilates once a week; both to learn something new and to try to improve on my flexibility.

GOALS: ROWING PARTNER – I have recruited a rowing partner vs training solo last year. But my rowing partner can only commit to 2 days/wk.

TIME GOAL: – Last year, thanks to Renegade Rowing, my 2K time decreased from 7:55 to 7:37.4 @ SWEAT (2k Race in Dallas, TX). My goal this year is to go below 7:30 but strive for sub 7:20. (I suspect that last year’s improvement was picking the low hanging fruit and that this year’s goal will require more effort).

WOD’s per WEEK: – last year did 2 RRC WODS/ per week which will again happen this year with the hopes to consistently getting three RRC WODs per week.

What a great adventure we have ahead of us. Thank you for making the effort to include a satellite member.

Ward

(Or as I’m sometimes known at my box – “Jurassic”)”

So, we’re very excited to have Ward training at the R3 Renegade Athlete level. He will be doing 3 Rowing Blocks per week in addition to 3 CF Classes and a Pilates Class, which will count for his 3 Strength and Conditioning Blocks and 3 Strength Blocks. Keep up the awesome work Ward!

Bill (R3)

Here’s an example of a long time rower adopting the Renegade Rowing Training Plan to train for a trail running race. Here’s what Bill has to say about our plan and how he plans to use it…

“I’m a 53-year-old on the water rower and occasional racer(not very fast) from New Hampshire and hadn’t been to your site in many months. I was there last week and was very impressed by the amount and quality of your content.

I am adapting your program to train for an 8 mile running race called 8 Tough Miles, which takes place in St. John in the Virgin Islands this coming February. I’m doing the race with my daughter who lives on St. Thomas. It’s only 8 miles but the first 4 miles have an average grade of 5%.

I found your template and your post “What kind of Renegade are you?” extremely helpful in arranging my training. I put myself in the R3 Category which matches well with the amount of time I have to train. Also, as it has only one endurance block, that will be helpful as I’ve started to develop Achilles tendonitis, probably from running too much.”

Great to have you on board Bill! Good luck with the training and keep us updated on your progress!

Drew (R4)

Last, but definitely not least, we have Drew who is a 32-year-old masters rower knocking on the door of the elite. This year Drew decided to switch from the long slow distance model of rowing and mix in more lifting and high intensity intervals. At the Head of the Charles he finished Second in the Masters 1x event and he’s fired up to train for the National Selection Regatta next Spring. Drew is a rowing coach himself and is able to find time in the mornings to get in all of his training. For the Head of the Charles he was lifting three days a week and putting in anywhere from 2-4 metcons a week in addition to rowing on the water 3-4 times per week. This winter he’ll be training at the R4 Renegade Athlete Level and we are all excited to push him farther than he’s ever gone before.

If you are thinking about switching it up and using Renegade Rowing to meet your goals, please let us know if you have any questions and feel free to get in touch with me – pat@renegaderowing.com. We’d love to have you join our crew and experience the journey!

New Class Schedule and New Pricing! Which class will you take next?

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Renegade Rowing

RR Classic with Lauryn and JC

Yesterday the new Renegade Rowing Class Schedule and Renegade Rowing Pricing went into effect. Lauryn and JC tore it up at 6am in the RR Classic. Today I wanted to share some more info on the classes themselves. Below you will find a brief description of each class. While they may help paint you a picture of what to expect, the only way to know what a class involves is to experience one. Sign Up with Coach Pat to get in the game!

RR Classic

This is the original Renegade Rowing Class. It’s where it all began. The goal is to improve your Rowing, Fitness, and Strength. We clean up your Rowing Technique in the warmup. We work on improving mobility and increasing flexibility. Then we throwdown in a strength wod (workout of the day) and a conditioning wod that brings together the best of Rowing and Strength Training.

Renegade Blast

This class is meant to kick your ass in 45 minutes. Expect to be moving and sweating from start to finish. We’ll put you through various levels of High Intensity Interval Training using Rowing, Bodyweight Movements, and Functional Movements. Anyone can jump in and get a solid workout as long as they’re ready to move, sweat, and have some fun doing it. Get fired up for 45 minutes of awesome that will keep you coming back for more!

RR Running and Endurance

We don’t want you to just be a rower, we want you to be an athlete and to succeed at life! The Renegade Running and Endurance Class will help you do both. We’ll work running skills and drills into a team style warmup and then either hit the beautiful banks of the Charles River for a group run or the Harvard Track for sprints and interval training. Don’t be surprised if you end up meeting a new training partner or end up dragging your friends along to give it a shot once a week. Our running class gets addicting and it’s a great way to network. Just imagine if you met one new athletic friend in Boston every Friday morning, Boom! Great start to the weekend.

RR Sculling/ Indoor Rowing

This class is all about taking it to the water and reaching your goals through teamwork. When the Charles River is full of ice, we’ll use the Concept2 Ergometer as a tool to not only improve our fitness, but learn the intricacies and discipline it takes to row on the water. Indoors we’ll row together as if in a boat and take turns leading and following. Everyone will get a chance to make calls and test their knowledge of the sport while also getting in a kick ass workout. When the ice finally does melt and it’s warm enough to get on the water, we’ll be sculling in quads and singles at the Community Rowing Inc. (CRI) – Harry Parker Boathouse in Brighton, MA. Stop wondering what it would be like to fly across the mirrored surface of the Charles River and come do it. Seriously, it’s an experience like none other!

RR Stadium/Social WOD

The best part of training with Renegade Rowing is that you get to do it with a great community of healthy, athletic, like-minded people who want nothing but the best for each other. Every Monday on the blog we’ll announce some version of a Stadium Run or a Social Workout where everyone can come throwdown together and push each other. The best part about these workouts is they are free if you bring a friend who’s never been! Spread the word and let’s Get Awesome together!

Renegade Rowing

Competitive Strength and Conditioning for Rowing and Life

Tag Archives: new sport

RR Training Plan and Rowing WOD 3/23/15: “The Castle” – 21min Row, Varying Rates – Post Distance

Rowing WOD 3/20/15: 4x10min Spicy Steady State – Post Distance

Where’s the fun in life? Our Reason for Competition in Rowing, Fitness, and Strength Training

Have you met Bob? Check out how he has been using Renegade Rowing!

New Class Schedule and New Pricing! Which class will you take next?

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: